Would you sue in these circumstances?

[Pagwatch]

I bought a poncey set of steps for my kitchen from a department store.
Yesterday I was on the top tread, a few feet off the ground, when they collapsed. I was thrown onto a stone floor and smacked my wrist against the edge of an open door.
Not broken but bruised and sore.
I phoned the dept store who swiftly offered me a refund - they don't stock the steps anymore and I am not sure I would want another set.
The woman then offered me an apology and £25.

I was talking to some people this morning and two of them were very insistent that I should sue. Not just for the money but in a civic duty kind of way.

I'm not going to but I am wondering if I am weird. Would most people sue?

If you have sustained 'pain and suffering' technically you could sue.

No of course not. What would you be sueing them for? You received, thankfully, no long term or major injury. You got your money back. I presume your friends would be saying it was "emotional distress" or some guff.

It bloody hurts though and the lump/bruise is right where I rest my wrist when I'm mumsneting

Hope you are ok Pag!

I think your friends have just bought into the compensation culture, some people say this as almost a reflex action when you have had an accident.

Ds1 fell on a cracked pavement opposite our house and broke his wrist last spring, almost everyone I told about it expected me to sue the council. I was more concerned with making sure they fixed it so no one else got hurt!

...I should sue. Not just for the money but in a civic duty kind of way.

Hahaha what a bunch of crap. Why don't you sue for injury to feelings as well? Make sure you play the "but what if it was my elderly disabled mother" card as well.

Ta SofaKing

It is odd isn't it. I think it was almost reflex. Hope your ds1 is fully recovered.

Etto - you spotted the bit where I said

im not going to be I wondered if I was weird

So not going to.
Just curious about the suggestion that I should.

I thanked the nice lady were much for the £25 and am very happy with my refund.

Oh hang on a sec, you have an injury that is affecting your ability to MN?

Now that is a different kettle of fish all together, sue them, sue them NOW!

How can you sue without it being about money?

If you are really worried about doing your civic duty ask the retailer to recall all the steps they sell, and notify the manufacturer so that they can ensure all other retailers do the same.

Whobeedsslepanwy

I have already said above ....

I told the retailer who said they will speak to the manufacturer about it.

I am not going to sue. Never was going to. I was asking if those suggesting I should were being odd, or if I was

Whoneedssleepanyway

But I am geniunely asking how can you sue without it being about money? How would your friends Sue without making a financial claim?

you must be dead tough.. i would have ended up putting my hip out and breaking a bone.

A chair might be better next time

I am not sure they meant that it wouldn't be for money.

I think they meant a 'sue them so that they make sure the manufacturers are motivated to making sure this doesn't happen again' type thing.

Gamerchick

I probably bounced tbh [weebles wobble but they don't fall down]

No I wouldn't sue, I would have accepted the stores gesture, and I would contact the manufacturer both to let them know there may be a production line problem for other people's safety, and also hopeing their response might be to want to offer you more wine for your poor wrist, as it's a well known cure for healable damage and shock.

No

The compensation ponces are the ones who also fail to realise that we all pay for their greed in the long run through prices and premiums

Nah, your friends are being weird.

I'm quite surprised they gave you a refund and £25 actually as they only had your say so. You said you complained over the phone right? How were they to know that you hadn't broken the steps, set them up wrong, were too heavy to be using them etc? I think they were nice.

Yeah, I think it was fair enough which was why I was a bit surprised by the reaction.

But tbh I couldn't have set them up wrong because they were delivered assembled. And they will see they were faulty and that i am not gnormous when they come to collect them so they don't just have my word for it

I wouldn't sue. I really hate this compensation culture where everyone is out for what they can get.

I wouldnt sue.

I would work harder at my diet though

Plus my other mistake was to try clean out cupboards people can't see into. Wtf was I thinking?

Raking the piss made me

Broken wrist and yes I would take them to court. Bruising, no I would take the £25.